The battle
by Brignakk
Summary: Albus Potter is battling with HIV, keeping his friends close, and staying on the Quidditch team all at once. What can go wrong? (This is rated T for content)


**AN: I don't own Harry Potter, that is all too the talented JK Rowling. If you see any mistakes please let me know. By mistakes I mean any information that is wrong or misleading. This is about a teen with HIV so just letting you know now before you start reading. I do hope you enjoy it. All reviews are welcome. This will be T rated for material.**

Sixteen year old Albus Potter sat in the Hogwarts nurses office, as a young guy, he didn't want to go to the nurses office just because he wasn't feeling well, he preferred to let it run its course, but of course his older brother James, his younger sister Lily, and his cousins all wanted him to go, then there was also the letter by his parents as well. Long story short, he felt forced to be in the nurse's office. In the past month, Albus had not been feeling well. He has had a fever, headaches, a sore throat, skin rash, and nausea, muscle aches, loss of appetite; many have said that it was just the flu taking a long healing route. Albus just hoped that whatever it was would go away just like it came.

"Mr. Potter, thank you for waiting," Madam Pomfrey said as she stood in front of him. "Now, what is that I can do for you? You don't have any broken bones do you?"

Albus looked up at the nurse from the bed he was sitting on. "I haven't been feeling well for like a month now," he said. "Like the flu I guess."

"Mr. Potter, how long have you had these symptoms for again?" Madam Pomfrey asked, as she took his temperature with her wand.

"About a month now, give or take a few days," he said to her, as she began checking him over.

After a few moments of wand work, nurse Pomfrey finished examining him over.

"Mr. Potter you don't seem to have the flu," she said looking down at him. After performing the incantations, she didn't see the usual sign of the flu that she normally got from the spell. She began wondering if it was something more than flu.

"What do you mean?" he asked, he felt rather surprised to hear it wasn't the flu, but at the same time he was happy to know that he didn't have it. At least he could prove his family wrong that he wasn't sick.

"No, but I am afraid that I will need to run a few tests before I know for sure," she said to him.

"Ok," he said nodding his head.

Madam Pomfrey took a small vile of his blood with a syringe, and closed it with a cork.

"I need to do some tests first, and then we should know what is wrong," she said to him. She hoped that whatever it was, was not what she was thinking it was.

"How long will that take?" he asked, looking up at her.

"A few days, three at the most," she said to him, looking at the blood in the vile. "I will send for you when I find out what it is."

"Thank you," he said standing up and he began making his way towards the door.

"Mr. Potter?" Madam Pomfrey said, causing Albus to turn around. "I do have a question to ask you."

"Yes ma'am?" he asked.

"I will like to speak with you in my office privately first," she said. "Follow me please."

Albus followed the nurse into her office.

"Take a seat please." she said as the door behind him closed.

Albus took a seat in a chair behind her desk, and he wondered what she wanted. The office was spacious, with books on wizard medicine and health on all the book shelves that aligned the wall.

"Mr. Potter, I have a question that I want to ask you before I make any tests" she said.

"Sure, what?" Albus asked he was beginning to wonder as to what she would ask.

"How many—how man sexual partners have you had?" she asked looking him in the eye. The question took Albus by surprise; he wasn't expecting her to ask him such a question.

"What?" he asked, looking at her? She folded her hands on the table.

"I won't judge you Potter, just be honest is all I ask," she said. "It will help in the long run for when I do the tests."

Albus leaned against the back of the chair; the question seemed easier to think of than to actually say. The truth was, Albus Potter had sixteen girlfriends in a span of three months, and he was wondering in his mind if he should tell her or not.

"More than ten girlfriends," he said rather quietly, which was true on his part. The nurse looked at him from underneath her spectacles.

"The next question is more personal," she said, her hands still folded on her desk. "Did you or she use any condoms?"

"…er… not—not always," he said rather quietly again. He was pretty sure his face turned red as he felt heat rise around his cheeks. The nurse sat up straighter in her chair.

"Thank you Mr. Potter," she said. "You may leave now."

Albus nodded and stood up and he walked out of the office. Albus had no idea why she would ask him such questions, Questions that she didn't need to know. Albus knew he had a lot of girlfriends, but he doubted that it had anything to do with how he was feeling. He walked out of the Hospital Wing and he walked towards the Gryffindor Common room.

…

It was three days later as Albus was walking towards the Hospital Wing, his older brother James was right beside him.

"You didn't have to come with me James," Albus said, walking along the hallway. His mind was wondering what the blood test would say.

"I know" James said, clapping Albus on the shoulder as they walked. "But I wanted to, besides, the nurse said it is best of you have someone you trust with you. Who do you trust more than your own brother?"

Albus looked at his brother and grinned. They reached the Hospital Wing and walked in through the door. The nurse looked up at the Potter brothers who just walked in.

"Go into my office please, and wait for me," the nurse said looking at them. Albus looked at James and headed towards the office. Albus walked in the office and took a seat in a chair, while James sat down beside him.

"You nervous?" James asked looking at his younger brother. Albus gripped the chair's arm rest tight, the skin around his knuckles was now white.

"No," Albus said shaking his head.

"Then why are you gripping that arm rest like you're having an orgasm?" James stated. Albus loosened his grip on the arm rest as Madam Pomfrey walked in the office.

"Thank you for waiting Potter," Pomfrey said as she took her seat at her desk. "I have your report here."

"So what is it?" Albus asked looking at her. He could feel his heart racing now as he began wondering what she would tell them both. Albus hoped it was nothing bad, and that he will get better soon.

"Albus, you—you have— you have HIV," she said, she never found it really easy to tell someone they have a life changing STD like HIV. Albus's eyes widened, he thought HIV was for homosexuals or drug users, not someone like him. A wizard who liked girls.

"No way, no way, no way do I have HIV," Albus said, shaking his head.

"I understand—"

"NO YOU DON'T! How the bloody hell do I have HIV?" Albus said as he was standing up in his spot.

"Potter you told me the other day that you had ten and more girlfriends, and you said condoms were not used often, believe me it is possible," she said, her voice was calm. Albus didn't know what do or say, he slumped back in the chair, and he felt like his life was over now.

"He has HIV?" James asked, he heard of the deadly STD and knew that it can be dormant for a while. He never expected a member of his family to actually get it.

"Yes, your brother has HIV," Madam Pomfrey said. "I know this is hard to hear Albus, but you need to understand that anyone who has had sexual intercourse or used syringes that someone else used can get it. It can happen to anyone."

Albus looked at the nurse.

"I will invite your parents here so I can explain it to them about what is going on," she said looking at him. "I really am sorry for having to tell you Potter."

"Thank you Madam Pomfrey," James said. "But can we tell our parents ourselves?"

"I am sorry Potter but no," she said at James now. "There are things I need to tell them and also when to be here, and you need to be here as well Albus. Especially about treatment options."

"This is bloody ridiculous," Albus said, more to himself than anyone. How can he get HIV? Albus was pretty sure that none of his girlfriends had it. Or did they?

"Everything will be ok Al, just wait, I am sure it can be straightened out," James said.

"I will explain more about it when your parents arrive," Madam Pomfrey said, looking at the younger Potter boy. "I will let you know when they will be here. I really am sorry Potter."

Albus stood up quickly; he didn't want to be in the room anymore, the only thing he wanted most was to be was alone. Albus walked out of the office and through the Hospital doors. Albus let his feet take him out in the courtyard, taking a seat at one of the benches, and buried his face in his hands. How could this happen to him? Why didn't any of his girlfriend's warn him that they had it? Who had it? That had to be the biggest question in his mind at the very moment.

…

The school nurse, Madame Pomfrey did not want to tell Harry and Ginny Potter about their son having HIV. But she knew that she had to tell them, that they were his parents and needed to know. As for how he got it, she wasn't surprised that he got it. Having that many partners makes the risk even greater. So now, here is the consequence, right there in his very blood.

She took out a sheet of parchment and a good eagle quill.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Potter.

This is Madam Poppy Pomfrey, school nurse for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I want to inform you that three days ago, your son Albus Potter came in to the Infirmary with flu like symptoms. Luckily he didn't have the flu. I drew some blood and sent some of it off to get it tested at St. Mungos. The blood tests all came back negative for anything drug related and any other disease, but it did come back positive for STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases). He came back positive for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

I am sorry for having to tell you this, but I have to. I would like to see both of you, Harry and Ginny, for a meeting. The Headmistress Professor McGonagall, and Gryffindor Head of House Professor Longbottom, will both attend, and so will Albus.

I will discuss on what will happen from now on.

Send back a date on which you can meet me.

Yours sincerely,

Madame Pomfrey.

She closed the letter and sealed it with hot wax and the Hogwarts seal. She tied it on the leg of the school owl and watched the owl fly away in the distance. All she had to do now was wait for a reply on when they can get here. There was also Professor McGonagall and Professor Longbottom she had to tell this too as well.

…

Number twelve Grimwauld Place.

Harry and Ginny were seated at their dining room table; both were too preoccupied to to even eat. A Hogwarts letter from the nurse was lying in front of them.

"… Albus— Albus has HIV?" Ginny asked, looking at the letter. She didn't understand that, how could her youngest son have that. How could he have a STD? Ginny stood up from the table, ands began pacing.

"The nurse wants us to attend a meeting with her, Neville, Professor McGonagall, and Albus," Harry said as he finished reading the letter.

"A meeting? When?" Ginny asked as she paced the length of the table.

"Whenever we can get there basically," Harry replied. He could tell that Ginny was overwhelmed by the information. Truth be told he felt overwhelmed as well, he gave both James and Albus the sex talk and what could happen, he was pretty sure that he mentioned STDs and that they can get it. Now one of his children has a virus that can shut down their immune system, and it was incurable, even for wizards.

…

Albus Potter looked at his reflection in the mirror; he was more athletic looking now than he was two years ago when he was a fourth year. He had a good muscle mass, and he felt indestructible now that he felt better about himself, hell he liked the attention, he was no longer just 'James Potter's younger brother,' he was now 'hey its Albus Potter,'. Albus was a bachelor of sorts of the sixth years, and he had his share of girlfriends. He played beater for the Gryffindor team, and was second in command of the Captain of the team, who was also his elder brother James. That was until a few days ago when he was told that he had HIV. HI—fucking V. Albus didn't understand how he got it, none of his girlfriends had it, which was weird because he was sure that he would have heard them say it if they did. Albus knew he couldn't let this get him down, he was sure his family would help him out, they always did. Albus splashed some water on his face and he stood up straight as he walked out of the boy's bathroom. It was almost twelve, and Albus had a meeting to get to that was being held in the Infirmary.

As he walked in the office, he saw his parents, his head of house, the Headmistress, and the nurse. They were all seated at the table as he walked in. Harry and Ginny smiled at him as he took his seat in between his parents.

"So, let's start the meeting then," McGonagall said who was on the other side of Ginny and Neville.

"Albus Potter, you were identified as HIV positive a few days ago," Madam Pomfrey said, her hands folded on her desk. "It is very important that we know who you got it from so we can contain it. Another thing is treatment—"

"I really do think treatment is more important than where he got this from," Ginny said, she wanted to know what the treatment options were above anything else, even though Ginny was wondering what little slut gave her son HIV.

"Of course Mrs. Potter, but HIV is an STD, and is deadly if not treated as soon as possible, no case is just alike. We also have to consider the other students health at the school," Madam Pomfrey said, in a calm voice.

Albus looked at the adults around him, they all seemed concerned, and Albus knew why they were. He knew HIV was spread from sexual contact or blood to blood transfer.

"… Your son already told me that he got it from a girl, he didn't say who, that is up to him to share that information with you too," Madam Pomfrey said.

"So you know their names?" McGonagall asked.

"I can pull out the girls from classes that are in Gryffindor," Neville said to the nurse.

"He didn't tell me who, I will ask him after we are done of course," Madam Pomfrey said.

"What girl was it Albus?" Ginny asked, looking at her son. Albus could feel all eyes on him. He clenched his fists, as he swallowed dryly.

"I— I don't know," Albus said, looking down at his lap.

"You don't know?" Harry asked, wondering if his son felt ashamed. Albus shook his head.

"How do you not know Albus?" Ginny said looking at her son. "You know it only takes once for anything to happen. Your dad told all of that already. What girl did this to you?"

"Ginny," Harry said, he was looking at Ginny now. She was upset about all of this and he could tell by the way she was acting, when Ginny was upset, she can be a lot like her own mother, Molly. "Interrogating him is not going help. He will tell us when he is ready."

"How can you be so calm?" Ginny asked looking at Harry.

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I will ask Albus to write down the names of the young ladies he has encountered. He can share them with you both if he wishes," Madam Pomfrey said.

"What about treatment?" Neville asked. "Can we brew him a potion here?"

"I don't think a potion will do it," McGonagall said, Albus looked over at her. There wasn't a potion for HIV? Albus thought that there would be at least one.

"Then—then what kid is there?" Ginny asked. "If not a potion."

"Pill form," Madam Pomfrey said. "Believe it or not, but the muggles have better medication for it then we do."

Albus sank in his chair.

"He has to take a pill?" Ginny asked, she didn't like the sound of her son taking a muggle pill. She has seen of them before, and they seemed so big, she didn't understand how muggles could take that kind of medicine.

"Yes, no wizard way is helpful, it actually makes it worse and progress to full blown AIDS," Madam Pomfrey told her.

Ginny looked at Harry, then at Albus. He was only sixteen and already he has a life threatening STD where the only hope of help is by a muggle medication.

Albus didn't know what to think; hell he didn't even know what to say. All he knew was that he didn't have much of a choice in what to do. Either he can suffer and let it progress naturally, take a wizard cure and take a big chance, or take a muggle pill. Albus sure didn't want to take either of the choices, but no way did he want it progress naturally, nor did he want to take a wizard cure that can make it become AIDS. The muggle pill form was really his only option left.

"So that's it then?" Albus asked, looking at the nurse.

"Afraid so Potter," she said to him. "But each medication is different, and so are the brands."

"Do I need to pull him out of class to take this medication?" Neville asked.

"Well, the one I recommend is taken at night," Pomfrey said. "Right after he eats dinner. But we do need to test it just to make sure it is right for him."

"More blood work?" Albus asked, remembering he had to give her some blood so she could test it a few days ago.

"How long will it take for him to get the medication?" Harry asked, putting an arm around his son.

"A few weeks, it takes time to get the right dosage, we don't want to give him the wrong dosage," Madam Pomfrey replied. "We don't want to accidentally overdose him."

…

The meeting lasted for an hour, but to Albus, it felt like it was two hours. It was now just him and the nurse, after she pierced his skin with a needle and put the blood in a few viles.

"I will send this to St. Mungos and from there they will send it off to a treatment center," Madam Pomfrey told him. "Now, do you feel comfortable enough to tell me of the young ladies you had sexual encounters with or would you rather write it down?"

Albus was not sure about which to do; he didn't feel comfortable with either one.

"I think I would rather write it down," Albus said. "Your not going to tell them I have HIV are you?"

"Don't worry Mr. Potter, I won't tell them a thing," she said as she put a sheet of parchment and a ink well with a quill in it, in front of him.

Albus nodded and he looked down at the sheet and began writing. He wrote down all sixteen names of the girls he dated and handed it to the nurse, wondering if he did the right thing or not. Albus felt like the nurse didn't need to know who he has dated, and that it was his business only. No one else's. The nurse looked at the sheet and looked from him to the sheet more than ten times. Albus bit his lip, feeling nervous that she would say something.

"Thank you Potter that is all I need, you may go now, if you have any concerns or questions, feel free to ask day or night," she said to him as Albus stood up.

"Thank you Madam Pomfrey," he said as Albus walked out of her office and then the infirmary. Albus felt confused as he walked out of the office, he heard her say that he can ask her anything, but Albus wasn't sure about that. He didn't know how much he can trust her, sure she was a good nurse and tended to some of his Quidditch injuries like a broken arm, and a broken leg. But those were different than this, this wasn't some broken bone that he got, this was HIV. In fact, it was a whole brand new game course.

Albus shouldered his book bag and went outside and headed towards the Green Houses, he knew who he could talk, and it was a man he knew that would not judge him. His Godfather Neville Longbottom was in Green House three as he approached. Albus knew at that moment, he should be in Potions, but he was told by Neville and Professor McGonagall that he only had thirty minutes left of class and that he didn't have to go since he would not have enough time to even finish half of the potion. He didn't see anyone in the green house as he walked inside the glass building.

"Hey Albus," Neville said, seeing Albus walk inside. Neville smiled at him. "What can I help you with?"

"Nev—I mean, Professor Longbottom, can I—can I tell you something?" Albus said looking at his Godfather.

"Of course, what is it Albus?" Neville asked, sticking both of his hands in his pocket.

"I— I don't know what to do Neville," Albus said, looking at his Godfather. "I—I have freaking HIV, and I am pretty sure that I will never get another girl to go out with me ever again, not now. I don't even know what my parents think of me. They will probably never trust me again now."

Neville chuckled. "Listen Albus, You will be just fine," Neville said to him, putting a hand on Albus's shoulder in a father figure fashion. "You can lead a normal life, that is what that medication is for. As for Harry and Ginny, they still love you. Believe me they do, if they didn't, I doubted they would have come here to be in that meeting."

"But what of they hate me?" he asked.

"They will never hate you Albus, believe me I should know," Neville told him. "They will never stop loving you Albus."

"You think so?" Albus asked.

"Yes I do," Neville said. "They will always be there for you no matter what, even through this they will help you."

Albus knew his Godfather was right, but Albus was still worried about what his parents thought of it all. Where they ashamed of him? Were they mad? They sure didn't say anything to him about how they felt when they were at the school in the nurse's office with him.

"Thanks Professor," Albus said.

"No problem, you should head on to your next class, I need to get ready for my third years," Neville said clapping Albus on the back.

"Thanks again Nev—I mean Professor," Albus said as he left the green house.

…

In Defense Against the Dark Arts the next day, Albus held out his wand, pointing it at his opponent who is his best friend Carl Woods. Carl Woods was not as muscular as Albus, his hair was brown, he wore glasses, and he played keeper on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"… Remember that you just want to disarm nonverbally," said Professor Thrittle. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was a woman, who was short and stout. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she wore thin spectacles. "The key is to concentrate on the spell, remember nothing to difficult, something like disarm spells are easy enough."

Albus concentrated, thinking of the spell 'Expelliarmus' in his mind, but nothing happened so far. The class had been doing this for two lessons now, and today was the second time they were trying it. No one had been able to perform a spell nonverbally yet, not even his cousin Rose, who was the best in the year. 'Expelliarmus' Albus thought mentally again. This time something happened, a scarlet light erupted from his wand tip and hit his best friend Carl's wand.

"Well done Potter, ten pointes to Gryffindor," Professor Thrittle said with a smile. Albus nodded and he noticed Rose was looking at him, giving him a look that said I-so-deserved-that-extra-ten-points-more-than-you.

After another hour, Rose and Albus were the only people to perform nonverbal spells.

"Everyone must write me an essay about why nonverbal spells are important due next class first thing, class is dismissed," Professor Thritlle said as Albus put his book back in his bag and walked out of the room. His friend walked out a few minutes later.

"I cant believe that you were the first to do nonverbal spell work," Carl said as he saw Albus.

"Yeah I know, did you see Rose's face?" Albus said, and his mind crossed back to HIV. Should he tell Carl? Would Carl only judge him? Albus knew Carl since first year, and they were bestfriends, almost like brothers.

"Listen Carl I need to tell you something," Albus said as they walked down the hall.

"What?" Carl asked, looking around and saw Albus by the corner wall. Albus waved him over. "What is up?" Carl repeated.

"Were best friends right?" Albus asked, and saw his friend giving him a queationable look.

"Yeah, since first year," Carl said, and he crossed his arms, wondering what Albus was talking about.

"I—I have… er.. Well…" Albus began; he was now finding it hard to tell him that he has a deadly STD.

"If your gay just say it," Carl said.

"What? No way—I'm not gay," Albus said, shaking his head.

"Oh, sorry, I thought—I thought that was what you were going to say," Carl said, his cheeks turning pink.

"You can't tell anyone this ok?" Albus said.

"What is it?" Carl asked. He was getting anxious as to what Albus was going to say.

Albus made sure no one was listening in and then he looked back at Carl. Carl could tell that Albus was being serious now.

"IhaveHIV," Albus said rather quickly. Carl raised an eye brow, he wasn't certain if he heard his friend right.

"Sorry?" Carl said.

"I have HIV," Albus said, and he watched his best friends eyes turn as big like diner plates.

"What? How? When did you…?" Carl began, he wasn't sure what to ask first or how long Albus knew he had it.

"I just found out a few days ago," Albus said. "But I wanted to be sure before I told anyone."

"Who—who gave it to you?" Carl asked in a more serious tone. Albus shrugged his shoulders, he didn't know who gave it to him either. "You dint know either?"

"Not at all, listen man you cant tell anyone," ALbus said, looking his best friend in the eyes. "Do you swear?"

Carl looked at Albus, seeing how intense Albus's almond shaped green eyes were.

"Yes I swear," Carl said, he wanted to protest and that he should help let others know, but Carl knew it wasn't his say so on who knew Albus's condition. Plus he was also Albus's best friend, and he would not betray his best friend even if he was about to be murdered.

"You're the first person told this too, so _please_ don't say anything," Albus said, looking at his friend.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," Carl said, reassuring Albus that his secret was kept safe.

**AN: Let me know what you guys think. **


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